Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves creation of a joint venture between HBO and Ziggo in the Netherlands

The European Commission cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed creation of HBO Nederland Coöperatief U.A., a joint venture to be controlled by Home Box Office Inc of the US and Ziggo B.V. of the Netherlands. The proposed joint venture will develop and operate new pay-TV channels in the Netherlands only.

The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction will not raise competition concerns on any of the markets concerned; on the contrary, the proposed transaction will increase competition in the acquisition of pay-TV content and in the wholesale of pay-TV channels in the Netherlands.